Topshop launches runway-to-retail initiative for LFW

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Aug 31, 2016

Topshop, the British high street fashion brand that shows at London Fashion Week, has joined the numerous brands who are trying a runway-to-retail initiative.

Starting with the upcoming London Fashion Week on September 16, customers will be able to shop Topshop's Unique collection directly from the runway. A selected edit will be made available to buy immediately after the show on Topshop.com and in selected stores across the globe.

Mary Homer, Managing Director, Topshop, says: “Bringing our customers closer to the London Fashion Week experience has always been a focus for us, but now, more than ever, in a rapidly changing global marketplace where consumers demand immediacy, we recognise the importance of disrupting the traditional model.”

Among the other brands who've pioneered the "see-now-buy-now" philosophy, which a new Verdict survey shows shoppers prefer, are Bubrerry and Tom Ford.

The upcoming Topshop Unique show will be held at East London landmark Old Spitalfields market, which will feature a Topshop Unique pop-up ‘market stall’. This will let consumers shop the collection straight away. There will also be a number of market stalls selling a carefully curated selection of fashion and design in the space, courtesy of Appear Here, which will be open throughout the afternoon.

Kate Phelan, Creative Director, Topshop, says: “The starting point for the Unique collection is always the celebration of British style and its rich heritage, so we feel Spitalfields provides the perfect backdrop to showcase our new collection. With a history steeped in over 350 years of selling to the general public, we also feel it’s a fitting venue in which to debut our ‘Runway-to-Retail’ concept.”